• Platform:   Windows NT / 98 / 2000 / XP / Me
• Media: CD-ROM
• Item Quantity: 1

For the end user, Contribute is delightfully simple. It works like a Web browser, but with buttons for edit page and new page. Once in edit mode, you can use it like a word processor, with good control over formatting and the ability to add images and tables. You can also insert Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and Flash movies. Once you've finished, you can choose between publishing to the Web and saving changes for later. The program keeps copies of old versions, so you can backtrack if you need to.

Web site administrators in particular will find that Contribute is thoughtfully designed. The administration tools give you fine control over what users can do and which pages they can edit. The basic settings let you protect scripts and forms or restrict editing to just text and formatting. More advanced options are possible using Dreamweaver MX templates, which allow you to create editable and non-editable regions. Word and Excel documents are sensibly filtered before insertion, to strip out unnecessary HTML.

However, before committing to Contribute you should review its limitations. Users have no access to HTML source and in general the editing features are deliberately restricted. It is also designed for static content only, and isn't suitable for sites that store content in a database or content management system. This is a fine product and a great concept, but for some Web sites it will be just a bit too restrictive. --Tim Anderson

Manufacturer's Description
Whether you're a content provider or a web professional, find out how Macromedia Contribute can save you time and streamline your web content maintenance process. Contribute is the easiest way to update content for any HTML website, including sites built in Macromedia Dreamweaver, Microsoft FrontPage, and other web tools. With Contribute, non-technical users can make changes while automatically respecting site standards for style, layout, and code in minutes - without knowing HTML.Get professional results without needing web-design experience. The familiar, intuitive Contribute interface empowers non-technical users to begin updating and publishing website content right away. Manage web content more productively. Web professionals can now delegate web content maintenance to content owners, streamlining the updating process so sites stay more relevant and current. Maintain website integrity with extensive controls to protect design standards, functionality, and code.